Support



Aug. 2, 1966 w, J. PAPPAS 3,263,294

SUPPORT Filed March 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet IL I INVENTOR @921 W////am J. Pappas ATTORNEY.

W, J. PAPPAS Aug. 2, 1966 SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1964 FIG. /0

FIG. ll

I NVE N TOR. Will/hm J. Pappas ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Office 3,263,294 Patented August 2, 1966 3,263,294 SUPPORT William J. Pappas, 304 N. Main St, High Point, NC. Filed Mar. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 353,518 2 Claims. (Cl. 24-265) This invention relates to spring supporting chair fixtures and relates more particularly to a spring-supporting fixture for retaining a flexible spring member to a chair frame for the seat or back rest portions.

Certain styles of furniture in which loose cushion construction is preferred utilize a seat frame and back rest in which a minimum depth is desired requiring relatively flat but resilient spring construction that will provide adequate support. Plastic-coated steel spiral springs have been used extensively as well as other flexible materials having adequate tensile strength for load-bearing resistance and resilience. In order to support the flexible steel spiral spring members, usually of circular cross-section, an arcuate notch must be cut into the frame providing a recessed track for embedding the spring member and supporting it in position. Alternatively, an arcuate metal clip is securely bolted to the frame for retaining the spring member in position with the frame being suitably recessed to provide a flush mounting. Providing the notched recesses or the arcuate clips add materially to the cost of the furniture and there is a lack of flexibility for spring positioning.

Therefore, it is an objective of this invention to provide a spring-supporting clip readily mountable on a chair frame producing a flush mounting.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a spring-supporting clip that is readily attached and detached from a chair frame and one that is capable of being moved from one position on a frame to another with a minimum of expense and labor.

Yet another objective of this invention is to provide an inexpensive and sturdy spring clip that may be flush mounted to a frame and slidable to the desired location.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a spring-supporting clip member that may be secured to tabular framing and one that is readily detachable while providing a flush surface with the spring member.

Still a further objective of this invention is to provide a spring clip that is readily detachable from a chair frame and in which an arcuate track is provided of the desired curvature resulting in uniform distribution of load to the flexible spring members.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the novel spring-supporting members will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the furniture art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a chair frame having seat and back rest spring members, with one arm rest removed, illustrating one embodiment of the springsupporting clips of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of one embodiment of a spring-supporting clip illustrated in position with portions of a supporting frame and a supported spring;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the supporting clip member per se;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the clip shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the clip of FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a chair frame of tubular construction, with one arm rest removed, illustrating the seat and back portions utilizing another em bodiment of the spring-supporting clip of this invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged top plan view of the modified spring-supporting clip member illustrated in position on a tubular member with portions of the tubular member and supported spring only being shown;

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the modified springsupporting clip per se;

FIG. 11 is an end elevational view of the clip of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view, with a portion removed, of the clip of FIGS. 10 and 11.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a chair 20 having a seat frame 21 and a back rest frame 22 with the frames being supported by means of the chair legs 23. The seat frame 21 and back rest frame 22 present a rectangular configuration in which the central portions 24 and 25 are open to be bridged by suitable spring members 26 that may be helically-wound flexible steel cable preferably covered by plastic tubing affording a firm but resilient load-bearing base for both the seat and back rest portions of the chair. Wire cable having the requisite strength characteristics and plastic tubing or solid flexible members made of vinyl, polyethylene, among other materials, may also be utilized. The reaches of the spring flexible members 26 are retained by the opposed seat frame members 27 and 28, with the back rest frame members 29 and 30 supporting the spring members for the back rest through the use of individual, integral spring-supporting clips 31 laterally spaced from each other and retained in rectilinear grooves 32. The integral spring-supporting clips 31 may be made of steel or aluminum or any other suitable material having the requisite rigidity and strength with the medial portion 33 being substantially planar, and one terminal end 34 is provided with a return bend recess-engaging hook 35 for releasable attachment into a frame groove or recess 32. Preferably the included angle formed by the medial portion of the clip and the hook 35 is degrees or less, however, the orientation of the hook may vary depending upon the configuration of the groove 32. The spring supporting portion 36 of the clip 31 is offset or inclined from the horizontal and is provided with an arcuate track 37 having a bottom lip or flange 38 for guidably supporting a spring member there in. The radius of curvature 39 of the track will vary depending upon the desired spacing between adjacent reaches of the spring member as well as the flexibility of the member. The side edges 40 of the clip converge toward the arcuate track. The lip 38 will support the spring 26 in position with the hook 35 engaging the frame recess 32 as shown in FIG. 3.

The spring-supporting clip 31 may be shifted from one position to another along the recess 32 and may be readily detached from the frame by disengaging the hook 35 from within the recess 32. No additional fastening means need be employed unless desired.

The offset angle for the forward portion 36 may vary depending upon the depth of the frame and the cushioning material to be placed over the chair frame, however, it is desirable that a substantially flat surface be presented to receive the upholstered loose cushion to be placed on the seat and back rest.

Another embodiment of the spring-supporting clip is illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 12 wherein. a modified clip is employed for supporting the flexible spring members 43 reaching to bridge the openings 44 and 45 provided by the tubular back rest frame 46 and the tubular seat frame 47 supported on the inverted U-shaped leg frames 48.

The modified clip 49 for utilization with a tubular frame is shown in more detail in FIGS. 8 through 12 wherein the spring-supporting clip body 50 is provided with an arcuate track 51 having a spring-retaining flange or lip 52 complementing and in spaced parallel relation to the body portion 50. The radius of curvature 53 for the arcuate track may vary depending upon the spring to be retained and the desired spacing between spring reaches. The terminal edge 54 of the clip 49 is provided with a return bend 55 providing an opening 56 for cooperative- 'ly receiving the hook-like U-shaped connecting member 57 provided with a tubular member engaging hook 58.

T'he hook ends 58 of member 57 will be cooperatively received in the drilled openings 59 provided in the tubu- 'lar frame of the chair seat and back rest. Obviously,

the angle of the return bend forming the hook 58 may vary, however, it is desirable that the included angle be 90 degrees or less so as to provide suflicient gripping ac- .tion and engagement with the use of the clip 49 and a tubular frame. A solid rod member may be drilled'to receive the hook-like ends 58 and the clip may also be readily used with aframe of the type illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3. However, it is desirable that the surface formed utilizing the clip 49 shall be substantially planar whether a loose cushion or covering is employed over the spring members or whether the spring members may be exposed as may be the case where plastic flexible spring members are employed for outdoor lawn and beach chairs.

Obviously many modifications and variations may be ,made in the configuration of the clip as well as the arcu- .laterally elongated, the lateral edges being rolled in- 'wardly toward each other to form an arcuate flange on one lateral edge of hook configuration adapted to receive and shroud an end portion of the flexible spring therein and to form a closed loop on the other lateral edge having the bight portion of a generally V-shaped wire member pivotally secured thereto, said member having inturned hooks on the free ends thereof adapted to engage the frame, and said hooks, flange, and loop being disposed on the same side of the plane of the planar portion.

2. A fastener for securing a flexible spring to a chair frame, said fastener having integral planar portions offset from each other formed from sheet material which is longitudinally and laterally elongated, the lateral edges being rolled inwardly toward each other to form an arcuate flange in one planar portion on one lateral edge of hook configuration adapted to receive and shroud an end portion of the flexible spring therein and to form an open V-shaped hook in the other planar portion on the other lateral edge adapted to be releasably clamped to a chair frame, said planar portions being offset from each other to form an included angle greater than ninety degrees but less than one hundred eighty degrees.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 321,419 7/1885 Boynton 5-194 X 1,768,454 6/1930 King. 1,843,507 2/1932 Elder 24265 X 2,884,994 5/ 1959 Rosalsky. 2,922,170 1/1960 Reggiani 5194 2,995,182 8/1961 'Henrickson.

FOREIGN PATENTS 457,691 3/ 1928 Germany.

264,664 1/ 1927 Great Britain.

887,926 1/1962 Great Britain.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. DONLEY J. STOCKING, Examiner. D. GRIFFIN, Assistant Examiner. 

2. A FASTENER FOR SECURING A FLEXIBLE SPRING TO A CHAIR FRAME, SAID FASTENER HAVING INTEGRTAL PLANAR PORTIONS OFFSET FROM EACH OTHER FORMED FROM SHEET MATERIAL WHICH IS LONGITUDINALLY AND LATERALLY ELONGATED, THE LATERAL EDGES BEING ROLLED INWARDLY TOWARD EACH OTHER TO FORM AN ARCUATE FLANGE IN ONE PLANAR PORTION ON ONE LATERAL EDGE OF HOOK CONFIGURATION ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND SHROUD AN END PORTION OF THE FLEXIBLE SPRING THEREIN AND TO FORM AN OPEN V-SHAPED HOOK IN THE OTHER PLANAR PORTION ON THE OTHER LATERAL EDGE ADAPTED TO BE RELEASABLY CLAMPED TO A CHAIR FRAME, SAID PLANAR PORTIONS BEING OFFSET FROM EACH OTHER TO FORM AN INCLUDED ANGLE GREATER THAN NINETY DEGREES BUT LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DEGREES. 